In every company’s growth, there are always exciting firsts, and Priority Bicycles has just embarked on a big one. Priority built their brand selling belt-driven commuter bikes, but last fall they jumped into the high-end MTB market with the Vanth enduro bike.
Today’s news is that Priority has assembled the Priority Race Team to take their high-pivot, belt-driven Vanth to the World Cup stage. The brand has sponsored enduro racers Evan Wall and Lief Rodgers, who have already raced their Vanths in the Squamish Enduro and will be heading overseas to the UCI Enduro World Cup in France at the end of May.
The Bike – Priority Vanth:
I got a chance to ride the Vanth before its release last year, and it captured my interest at first glance. First off, it’s a Gates belt-driven bike with a Pinion Smart.Shift gearbox. The frame also features a Stillpoint high-pivot suspension linkage and a unique layout with a double seat mast. The beefy single rear swingarm, allowing for easy belt removal/replacement, also catches the eye.
The Vanth’s second ‘seat mast’ is strictly there to provide a mount for suspension pivots. Priority built the frame around the pivot locations they wanted, and the second mast allowed the design to come together. The Vanth frame has an aluminum front end and a carbon monocoque rear. It runs MX wheels only and offers 165mm rear travel.
“After four years developing the Vanth, building on our 12-year commitment to Gates Belt Drive innovation, this is about proving performance in real race conditions,” said Connor Swegle, Co-founder and CMO at Priority Bicycles. “Evan and Lief are fantastic riders who are ready to show off the Vanth enduro on the world stage. Inspired by competition for Gates’ DH Belted Purse, we built this bike to perform at the highest level, and now we’re putting it in the hands of enduro athletes to show how it can compete.”
The Racers – Lief Rodgers:
Lief Rodgers started racing in the XC class, but moved over to enduro racing and stepped onto the podium. Last year he achieved a top-five ranking in the UCI Enduro World Series, and his 2026 season already includes a Canadian Enduro Series win in Kelowna, B.C. Rodgers also finished third in his category at the recent Squamish Enduro.
Speaking about the Vanth, Rodgers said, “From the first lap, it didn’t feel like anything I’d ever ridden before. The suspension smooths everything out, and the silence is something everyone notices right away.”
Evan Wall:
Winner of the 2020 Pinkbike Academy, Evan Wall has proven his skills with consistent top-ten finishes on the enduro circuit. At the Squamish enduro, Wall landed himself in eighth place. Wall’s riding style is fast, aggressive, and committed through rough terrain. That approach seems well-suited to a high-pivot bike with a rearward axle path like the Vanth.
“I’m honored to be chosen by Priority to help launch this team. They’re building a bike that’s incredibly planted and predictable when it matters most,” said Wall. “That consistency helps you save energy and push harder for longer, especially on rough, steep tracks where the bike takes a lot of the abuse.”
The Priority Race Team will compete at major enduro races throughout 2026, putting the Vanth to the test on varying terrain and providing real-world feedback to Priority’s designers. Priority also plans to feature the racers in a series of vlogs, showcasing their preparation for races, their perspectives on racing, and the various courses they’ll be riding.
For more info on the Vanth enduro bike or to follow the Priority Race Team this season, check out Priority Bicycles’ website.
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